Kelly Clarkson Earns Standing Ovation With Her Incredible Cover Of Deana Carter’s ‘Strawberry Wine’

Mar 28, 2023

Kelly Clarkson first became a household name in 2002 following her win on the hit competition series “American Idol.” Since then, the singer has gone on to sell millions of copies of her albums and tour across the world. Some of her most notable hits include “Since U Been Gone,” “My Life Would Suck Without You” and “Because Of You.” With an incredible vocal tone and range, Clarkson has easily become one of the best and most recognizable singers in the world.

When Clarkson first entered the music industry, she had a very girl-next-door look with a bit of an edge. Like most superstars, her look and style changed as the years progressed, and Clarkson discovered more sides of herself. 

Along with being a highly accomplished singer, Clarkson has also appeared in a variety of films and TV shows and has gone on to become one of the most beloved women in the entertainment industry due to her hilarious personality and charming wit. She went on to become a judge for another singing competition series called “The Voice,” and is even the host of her own talk show, “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”

But despite being an Emmy-Award-winning host, Clarkson still doesn’t forget how to bust out a few notes from here and there. In a 2020 episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” the Grammy-winning artist gave a splendid performance, covering Deana Carter’s hit song “Strawberry Wine,” earning her a standing ovation from her studio crowd. 

Read on to learn more about Clarkson’s incredible performance and more amazing facts about the still-iconic hit. 

“Strawberry Wine” was released in 1996 as Carter’s debut single on her debut album, “Did I Shave My Legs for This?” It was her first No. 1 hit both in the Billboard Hot Country Songs Charts and the Canadian RPM Tracks. 

Characterized as a sentimental ballad backed primarily by steel guitar and percussions, Carter’s best-selling single was a song grimly talking about a time when the narrator lost their innocence – comparing the love they felt to the sweetness of strawberry wine. As the narrator returned to the same place where they experienced it, they found that everything had changed since. 

The song was co-written by Matraca Berg and Gary Harrison. Apparently, it was an ode to Berg’s own coming-of-age story as a teen in Wisconsin. 

"We used to go to my grandparents' dairy farm in the summer. My aunt, who's six months younger than me, and I would try to score some wine. And I met this boy,” Berg recalled after pointing out that the song referenced the Boone’s Farm Strawberry Wine. 

Before it was recorded by Carter, the song was passed around the Country songs circuit, with the likes of Trisha Yearwood passing on it. It was even deemed controversial for its theme and was even coined to be “not memorable enough” as it was long. 

But when Carter got a hold of the song and released it as her debut single, it went on to catapult her music career to greater heights. 

Despite debuting at No. 70 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs, it later reached No. 1 after almost three months. 

The song also earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Song, an Academy of Country Music Award Nomination for Best Country Song, and a Country Music Radio Award Nomination for Song of The Year.

Clarkson has performed a plethora of songs on her “Kellyoke” segment, including a mix of pop songs, country songs, and even holiday-themed ones! 

Among the songs she has performed were "Dream On" by Aerosmith, "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees, "It's My Life" by Bon Jovi, and even "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac.

In a 2020 episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Clarkson performed the song “Strawberry Rain,” which earned her a standing ovation from her studio crowd. 

"He was working through college. On my grandpa's farm, I was thirsting for knowledge, And he had a car. Yeah, I was caught somewhere between a woman and a child. One restless summer, we found love growing wild on the banks of the river on a well-beaten path. It's funny how those memories last,” Clarkson sang. “Like strawberry wine and 17. The hot July moon saw everything. My first taste of love, oh bittersweet. Green on the vine, Like strawberry wine.” 

Clarkson sang the song effortlessly, proving that she is one of the greatest vocalists in the music industry right now. Like the vocal chameleon she is, the singer is able to sing different songs from various genres with ease, as if it was her own song. 

“As they say on some talent shows " She could sing the phone book!” a fan commented on a YouTube clip of her performance. 

“Shes gonna have to record this sing now i think she took it to another level,” another said.

“Kelly is the best!!! I swear she can sing anything she’s so talented!!! Her and Carrie (Underwood) are magical,” someone echoed.

It was a daunting task to cover the song that launched the career of Deana Carter. What did you think about Kelly Clarkson’s performance? Do you think she gave the song justice? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family, friends and any music lovers you know!